


Heart To Heart

by spiritcrimson



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, because I just want lance and allura to be friends, kinda like it's set during season 2's timeline, lance and allura actually talk and have a heart to heart and become best friends afterwards, let me have this, platonic lance and allura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:53:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10767501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritcrimson/pseuds/spiritcrimson
Summary: “Sometimes,” he begins tentatively, taking a deep breath before continuing, “I think you hate me and would give anything for a chance to replace me as the blue paladin.”There, one of his deepest fears, now out in the open. Allura can do with it what she will.





	Heart To Heart

**Author's Note:**

> So you know that one episode in season 2, after the Galra Keith reveal? Where Allura is being cold and distant towards Keith and she dismisses one of Keith's questions but then Lance asks the same question in his flirtatious way and she responds super nicely to him and Lance is lowkey taken aback by the sudden niceness? Yeah, that one little moment let to this fic idea. I'm just tired of the VLD writers reducing Lance to just a boy who flirts with anything that moves. That boy has depth, and I want to see him interact with Allura without flirting with her. I just want them to be best friends, is that too much to ask? Anyway, I've ranted enough. Hope you guys enjoy this.

* * *

 

Lance had just wanted a midnight snack.

That was what he’d planned for, when he’d stepped out of his room and made his way through the dimly lit castle hallways. But getting to the kitchens meant passing by the control deck, and that meant stumbling upon the sight of Allura, sitting on the raised platform, head buried between her knees.

Lance does a double take. He has two choices laid out in front of him. One, he approaches Allura in order to make sure she’s alright or two, he pretends he never saw her and just gets his damn snack and heads straight back to his room. He’s leaning rather heavily towards choice number two, because let’s be honest, Lance isn’t stupid. He knows he’s the last person Allura would want to talk to.

But then again, Allura had been awfully nice to him that day. It wasn’t like his normal interactions with the Princess, where she’d most of the time just shut him down. No, this had been different. It almost sounded like she genuinely wanted to respond to Lance’s question, and not just brush it off, waiting for someone else, someone better qualified to reserve her response for. Someone like Shiro, or maybe Keith.

Oh.

_Oh._

She was mad at Keith, wasn’t she? That did explain a lot. Still, Lance decides to take a chance. He wouldn’t be Lance if he willingly let a fellow teammate suffer alone, when he knew there was something he could do to help cheer them up. So, thoughts of a midnight snack all but abandoned, Lance steps into the control deck, clearing his throat in order to make Allura aware of his sudden presence.

Allura doesn’t so much as lift her head as she asks, “Who’s there?”

“It’s me, Princess,” Lance answers, taking another step closer. There’s still a considerable distance between the two, and Lance is hesitant about crossing it, not unless Allura asks him to.

Allura lets out a small groan, lifting her head just enough to glare at him. “Not now, Lance.”

Lance swallows down the brief surge of hurt at her words. She’s just upset. He can’t hold this against her. Instead, he puts on a gentle smile. “You looked kinda down. I just wanted to check on you, but I can leave if you want me to.” He makes no move to leave, though. He would, if she told him to. He’s giving her the choice.

Allura’s glare fades. She looks at him in surprise, straightening her posture. “You weren’t trying to flirt with me?”

Lance shrugs, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, swaying back and forth. “There’s a time and place for everything, and this isn’t the time or the place, so…”

Allura’s look of surprise morphs into an almost confused frown. “That was surprisingly mature of you. I won’t lie, I expected a joke or another terrible line instead.”

Lance lets out a forced, almost obnoxious laugh. “You think that little of me?” He means for it to come out as a joke, but there might have been some hint of sincerity behind it, because Allura’s face falls at that.

“Of course not,” She says, frowning further.

Lance just smiles uncomfortably, rubbing the back of his neck. “You make it seem that way, so, you know.” Another forced laugh. “Can’t blame a guy for assuming.”

Allura looks at Lance for a moment longer before letting out a long sigh. “You’re right,” she concedes, “I do make it seem that way.” It is now Lance’s turn to look surprised. “But,” Allura continues, staring at Lance pointedly, “The only way you interact with me is by flirting or using terrible lines, so you can’t place the blame entirely on me.”

Lance almost protests that, but realizes there’s no way he can. Allura is right. His shoulders slump, head bowing slightly in shame. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Allura’s look softens at the admission. She gently pats the empty space beside her. “Would you like to sit with me?”

Lance looks up at her, eyes widening. “You sure? I mean, I really could just lea—”

“Lance,” Allura interrupts, a certain authority in her tone, “You don’t have to go anywhere.” She smiles gently at him. “I’d appreciate the company.”

Lance smiles back and hesitantly crosses the remaining distance between them, gently sitting down beside her. He leaves a respectable distance between them. Allura doesn't look at him, merely stares off into the distance. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asks hesitantly. Allura shakes her head. For a long moment, the two remain silent, not entirely uncomfortable. But there are questions bubbling up in Lance’s head, and he feels like now’s a good time to bring them up. Communication is key, especially in a team dynamic, right? Even if it’s hard, and even if it’s not something Lance is particularly good at, maybe now’s the time for him to work on it.

"Princess," he says, waits for a sign that Allura's listening. Her ears twitch. "Can I be honest with you?" Allura looks at him fully now, nodding for him to continue.  “Sometimes,” he begins tentatively, taking a deep breath before continuing, “I think you hate me and would give anything for a chance to replace me as the blue paladin.” There, one of his deepest fears, now out in the open. Allura can do with it what she will.

Allura just stares at him uncomprehendingly, waiting for him to elaborate. Lance sighs.

“It’s just,” Lance says, glancing out the huge glass windows, the vastness and blackness of space calming him some, “You’ve never really acknowledged me? Like, I don’t mean the whole flirting thing. I just do that as a way to get your attention, because you’d never actually pay attention to me otherwise? And I totally get that, because there’s cooler people you’d rather be paying attention to, like Pidge or Hunk or Shiro or Keith.” Lance carefully meets Allura’s gaze, to gauge her reaction. Her face remains strangely impassive, and she just lifts her brow at him, waiting for him to continue. So, Lance just goes for it, doesn’t hold it back. He’s got out this much, might as well have it all out in the open.

“You’re never dismissive of them,” he continues, “And for the most part, that’s fine. I’m alright with being the annoying one, ‘cause it’s not like I’m not used to it.” A bitter laugh. “When people over the years have repeatedly told you you’re annoying, you kinda sorta learn to let it not affect you anymore. Like, what’s the point? If you dwell on it, you’re just going to be perpetually sad, and you’re going to second guess everything every second of your life and that’s exhausting, so I just learnt to pretend it didn’t faze me.” He pauses, takes a deep breath. “But then today you weren’t dismissive of me, and you were genuinely nice to me when I asked a question, even if I was being my ridiculous self, and that made me so, so happy, but it also confused me. Because you’re never nice to me. Why were you nice to me?”

Lance stares at Allura as realization dawns on her face. She knows where this is going. “And I realized that the only reason you were being nice to me is because you were mad at Keith, and you wanted to hurt him,” He finishes, a sad smile on his face.

“Lance,” Allura begins, a look of guilt flashing across her face, “I’m so sorry.” There’s nothing else she can say.

Lance’s shoulders slump. “Don’t be. I mean, I get it. Does it suck? Sure. But I guess it’s cool.”

Allura quickly shakes her head, resting a hand on Lance’s shoulder, forcing him to meet her piercing gaze. “No, it’s not,” she says firmly. “Yes, I am upset at Keith, and yes, I wanted to hurt him, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value you, Lance. I’m so sorry I made you feel that way. Sometimes it’s just hard, you know? I’m not used to being a leader, that was always my father’s job.”

Her face falls for a moment, a sort of distant look clouding her features. Lance places his own hand over Allura’s comfortingly, squeezing in reassurance. Allura snaps out of whatever memory she’d been pulled into, smiling softly at Lance. “I promise I’ll be better, Lance. You may be annoying—” Lance flinches just the slightest bit and Allura quickly backtracks, “You may like making light of situations from time to time, and yes, that might frustrate me more often than not, but that doesn’t mean I don’t value your presence. You’re the blue paladin, you’re a part of this team, and do you want to know a little secret?” Lance nods quietly. “I think you hold us all together. If it weren’t for your jokes constantly breaking the tension, we would’ve all snapped a long time ago.”

Lance laughs self deprecatingly. “You’re just saying that.”

Allura scowls. “No, I’m being honest. I can sense each lion’s quintessence, can’t I? And each lion’s quintessence matches its paladin’s.”

“About that,” Lance says, “I never really got to know what my quintessence is. You never told us mine.”

“I’m telling you now,” Allura answers, dropping her hand from Lance’s shoulder to lace her fingers together on her lap. “You hold the team together. You’re the easiest to get along with, you’re the most accepting, and without you, the team would fall apart. Not just in terms of Voltron, but emotionally. You keep us stable, Lance. That’s your quintessence.”

Lance is speechless. Allura looks at him with such sincerity, with no hint of mockery whatsoever, that he’s not quite sure how to respond. “Thanks,” he manages. A beat, then, “Hey, Allura?”

Allura hums in response, a soft smile on her face.

“I know you’re mad at Keith, and you’ve got every right to be, but if it’s worth anything, I personally think Keith’s a good guy. Sure, the dude’s reckless, has severe impulse control issues and possibly temper issues, but his heart’s in the right place.” Beat. “Don’t tell him I said that. A guy’s got an image to maintain.”

Allura laughs softly at that. “Yes, of course, your rivalry.” A considering pause, then, “And I know Keith’s got a good heart, otherwise the red lion would not have accepted him as her paladin, but it’s hard. The Galra destroyed my entire planet, Lance. They killed my father.” A hint of anger. “Zarkon betrayed my father. My father trusted him. It’s hard for me to move past that, and now to think it might happen again, it’s a lot to deal with.”

“Then take your time,” Lance advises, shifting closer, “Give yourself time to heal. You deserve that. And hey, if there’s any way I can help, you know where to find me.” And just because he’s Lance, he punctuates that with a flirtatious wink.

Allura rolls her eyes, for once, not annoyed by Lance’s flirting, just merely amused. “You’ve helped me enough.” Despite the amusement, the sincerity in her words is unmistakable. Lance can’t help but smile.

The two remain silent after that, but it’s the comfortable kind. “Hey Allura,” Lance says, breaking the silence, “Does this mean we’re best friends now?” At Allura’s questioning gaze, Lance gestures between them. “Like, we just had this heart to heart, where we spilled our innermost insecurities to one another. That means we’re best friends now, aren’t we?”

“Is that different than just friends?”

Lance nods. “Sure, it’s a step higher than that. It means you and I are closer than normal friends.”

Allura smiles kindly. “I like that.”

“But you know what’s even better than being best friends?” Lance asks, grin turning flirtatious. Allura just lifts an unimpressed brow at him, but her lips twitch with the hint of a smile. Lance’s grin widens. “Lovers.”

Allura laughs, punching Lance lightly in the arm. To her surprise, Lance groans in pain, rubbing his arm gingerly. “Geez, you could’ve just rejected me like a normal person. There’s no need for violence, Allura!”

“I didn’t even punch you that hard!” Allura protests.

Lance stares at her, still wincing in pain. “Allura, I don’t know if you know this, but you’re freakishly strong!”

“I do know that, Lance.”

“Well, then maybe you need to remember that before you punch a dude in the arm! Jesus, that hurt!” He rubs his arm again, cringing.

Allura studies him carefully. “Perhaps you’re too weak. Maybe we need to increase your training time. I could talk to Shiro and maybe he can come up with something...” She trails off thoughtfully.

Lance looks at her, horrified. “Allura, no! If you ever cared about me, you will not do this to me.”

Allura furrows her brows at Lance. “Of course I care about you, which is why I do need to do this for you.”

“Best friend status revoked,” Lance grumbles.

“That is disheartening to hear,” Allura says, mock-disappointed. “I was looking forward to us getting to know each other better.”

Lance stares at her in surprise. “Wait, you mean that? Like, you weren’t just saying it to humor me?”

“Of course not,” Allura says.

“Like, you’d willingly want to spend time with me? We’d bond, as friends?”

“As best friends,” Allura says, smiling. Her smile fades as she narrows her eyes in the next instant. “There is one condition though.”

“Please don’t tell me I have to train more,” Lance groans.

“Well, that isn’t up for debate, but no, that’s not it. The condition is simple. You need to stop flirting with me every second of every day. I mean it Lance, it’s rather infuriating, and you know I’m not very good at controlling my temper.”

Lance looks like he’s in pain but at Allura’s warning glare, he smiles sheepishly, lifting his hands up in surrender. “Deal. I’ll keep the flirting to a minimum.”

“Good. Now, it’s late and you should get to bed. We’ve got a long day tomorrow,” Allura says, the authoritative tone back in her voice.

“You need to go to bed, too. It’s late and we’ve got a long day tomorrow,” Lance repeats her words, face serious.

The two end up spending a couple more hours at the control deck instead, a new sense of ease and comfort settling between them.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback makes me happy so, make me happy? Please?


End file.
